Common name: Bunched Kerosene Grass
Aristida contorta F.Muell. APNI* 
Description: Slender ephemeral or short-lived perennial to 0.5 m high forming compact tufts; culms thin, strongly branched.
Leaves with sheath scabrous, pilose or glabrous; ligule 0.5–1 mm long; blade convolute, filiform, c. 0.5 mm wide, flexuous or curly on drying, scabrous, pilose or glabrous.
Panicle contracted, often nodding, to 10 cm long, few-branched. Glumes very narrow-ovate, acuminate, unequal, the lower 9–13 mm long, upper 18–27 mm long. Lemma linear-elliptic, 5–7 mm long, muricate towards the apex, articulation prominent; awns equal, capillary, 30–70 mm long.
Flowering: in response to rain.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in Mulga communities or woodland on sandy soils.
NSW subdivisions: CWS, NWP, SWP, NFWP, SFWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. W.A. S.A. N.T.
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & S. M. Hastings
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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